Keeping young people safe Riding ATVS

For Dr. Charles Jennissen, who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, all-terrain vehicle or ATV safety for young people is personal. His 13-year-old cousin, Kenny, and a friend were killed in an accident as they were riding together on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) after they pulled onto a road and were struck by an oncoming driver.

Unfortunately, Jennissen says, stories like his cousin’s are all too common. The doctor co-published a study in 2014 that surveyed 4,684 students ages 11 to 16 at 30 schools across Iowa.

Three-fourths of all surveyed had been on an ATV and 57 percent of those had been in a crash. The survey also found that most of the young riders also engaged in what is considered risky behavior, such as riding with a passenger or riding on a public...

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